slow 1 of 3

adjective

ˈslō How to pronounce slow (audio)
Definition of slownext
1
as in leisurely
moving or proceeding at less than the normal, desirable, or required speed because of the holiday, traffic to the beach was particularly slow slow readers

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2
as in dumb
not having or showing an ability to absorb ideas readily we love our bulldog though he's a little slower than our German shepherd

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3
as in sleepy
lacking in gaiety, movement, or animation a slow day on Wall Street

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4
as in boring
causing weariness, restlessness, or lack of interest the first half of the movie is slow, but then it gets exciting

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slow

2 of 3

verb

as in to brake
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace if you don't slow your delivery down a bit, your speech will be over too soon

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slow

3 of 3

adverb

as in slowly
at a pace that is less than usual, desirable, or expected you need to go slow with this experiment, or you'll make mistakes

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word slow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slow are delay, detain, retard, and slacken. While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention.

medication slowed the patient's heart rate

In what contexts can delay take the place of slow?

In some situations, the words delay and slow are roughly equivalent. However, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival.

bad weather delayed our arrival

When would detain be a good substitute for slow?

The meanings of detain and slow largely overlap; however, detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time.

unexpected business had detained her

Where would retard be a reasonable alternative to slow?

While in some cases nearly identical to slow, retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping.

language barriers retarded their progress

When can slacken be used instead of slow?

The synonyms slacken and slow are sometimes interchangeable, but slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort.

on hot days runners slacken their pace

How is the word slow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slow are delay, detain, retard, and slacken. While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention.

medication slowed the patient's heart rate

In what contexts can delay take the place of slow?

In some situations, the words delay and slow are roughly equivalent. However, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival.

bad weather delayed our arrival

When would detain be a good substitute for slow?

The meanings of detain and slow largely overlap; however, detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time.

unexpected business had detained her

Where would retard be a reasonable alternative to slow?

While in some cases nearly identical to slow, retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping.

language barriers retarded their progress

When can slacken be used instead of slow?

The synonyms slacken and slow are sometimes interchangeable, but slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort.

on hot days runners slacken their pace

How is the word slow distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of slow are delay, detain, retard, and slacken. While all these words mean "to cause to be late or behind in movement or progress," slow and slacken also imply a reduction of speed, slow often suggesting deliberate intention.

medication slowed the patient's heart rate

In what contexts can delay take the place of slow?

In some situations, the words delay and slow are roughly equivalent. However, delay implies a holding back, usually by interference, from completion or arrival.

bad weather delayed our arrival

When would detain be a good substitute for slow?

The meanings of detain and slow largely overlap; however, detain implies a holding back beyond a reasonable or appointed time.

unexpected business had detained her

Where would retard be a reasonable alternative to slow?

While in some cases nearly identical to slow, retard suggests reduction of speed without actual stopping.

language barriers retarded their progress

When can slacken be used instead of slow?

The synonyms slacken and slow are sometimes interchangeable, but slacken suggests an easing up or relaxing of power or effort.

on hot days runners slacken their pace

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of slow
Adjective
Disaster funding slows to a trickle The delays at FEMA are significantly longer than normal, even for an agency known to be administratively slow, according to emergency managers from half a dozen states. —Lauren Sommer, NPR, 10 Apr. 2026 Hardt says the state has been slow to repay him. —Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026
Verb
Tech companies are also slowing down on their own climate goals to meet the consumer demands for artificial intelligence. —Jessica Hill, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026 Investors now seem conditioned from last year to ignore any warnings about the president's policies slowing the economy. —Kelly Evans, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Additional slow-moving bands of heavy rainfall will continue to possible through the evening, which could lead to localized flooding. —Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Apr. 2026 One contained fast-digesting carbohydrate (corn syrup); the other, slow-digesting carbohydrate (corn starch). —David S. Ludwig, STAT, 9 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slow
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slow
  1. leisurely
  2. dumb
  3. sleepy
  4. boring
  5. brake
  6. slowly
  7. stupid
  8. dead
Adjective
  • The Lounge remains a favorite for leisurely breakfasts and afternoon tea.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2026
  • If all goes according to plan, its protective heat shield and a sequence of massive parachutes will ensure that the capsule—and the four astronauts inside—will land with a gentle splash in the Pacific Ocean at a leisurely 17 miles per hour.
    — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of leisurely
Adjective
  • As my colleague Zach Harper expertly pointed out Wednesday, the rule itself — mandating that any player eligible for a postseason award must play 65 games in a season — looks pretty dumb right now.
    — Chris Branch, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026
  • Looking back on his 27 years with the bank, Gentry said the timing, loopholes, tax strategies and negotiations that gave the business its acquisitive edge were not because of dumb luck.
    — Chase Jordan April 9, Charlotte Observer, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of dumb
Adjective
  • More damning is last week’s UMBC poll, which shows his approval rating in Maryland dropping precipitously, an unexpected slide in what has long been a sleepy Democratic stronghold.
    — Torrey Snow, Baltimore Sun, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Nanny Aimee -- our second in command -- was moving through the far corners of the house, waking up each of the littles, kissing sleepy eyelids, tugging my two toddlers gently forward into the day.
    — Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Definition of sleepy
Adjective
  • This season has an annoying habit of taking what is an easy vote, trying to confuse us into getting excited that something interesting is going to happen, only for the easy and most boring thing to happen in the end.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 9 Apr. 2026
  • The boring machine can excavate to extreme depths, according to a report.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Apr. 2026
Definition of boring
Verb
  • The braking system is made up of three disc brakes (one per wheel), a composite system, and Bosch ABS, all of which can be controlled via the two hand levers and a foot pedal.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Apr. 2026
  • The truck began to roll backward down the hill, the MNPD said, and the worker was unable to brake and move away from Stephen Mattson, who was operating an excavator at the bottom of the hill.
    — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of brake
Adverb
  • The chance for showers and storms slowly returns on Monday and becomes more likely by Tuesday.
    — Michael Autovino, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
  • The crisis of American defense production has been slowly worsening since the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.
    — Garrett M. Graff, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of slowly
Adjective
  • And then the second one is grassroots and bottom up and the local solutions to this thing that is a stupid business model.
    — Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Allowing one nine years of eligibility is just stupid.
    — Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Apr. 2026
Definition of stupid
Adjective
  • For whatever sprinkling of sociopathy that Quinn might have, seeing her dead best friend’s daughter, who looks just like her best friend, standing in front of her cracks through a little bit.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
  • Dust mites, dead skin cells, sweat buildup and allergens accumulate over months, affecting your sleep quality and potentially triggering sneezing and congestion.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 11 Apr. 2026
Definition of dead

Phrases Containing slow

Browse Nearby Words

slovens
slow
slow burn
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Cite this Entry

“Slow.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slow. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slow

Nglish: Translation of slow for Spanish Speakers

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